On February the 10th, 2024, Ketil Bjornstad's "Chasing the Wind" premiered in Oslo Cathedral, filled to capacity, featuring a mighty choir of hundred singers accompanied by a stellar line up of musicians.

The text is an adapted version of the Bible's Ecclesiastes, a philosophical reflection on the meaning of life-or interpreted: the lack of meaning in life. A text as relevant today, as when it was first written. The concert was met with rave reviews, and on October 18th 2024, it will be available on a double CD, including the concert recording and Bjornstad's piano sketches of the work.

In 1992, Ketil Bjornstad composed "Mass for a Wounded Earth." It premiered at Frogner Church, and Erik Hillestad and KKV released the album. Hillestad wrote thetext for the mass. In the years that followed, Bjornstad often thought about Ecclesiastes, with some amazement that these fantastic and existential texts had not previously caught the attention of choirs, festivals, or concert organisers. In 2019, the opportunity arose when Catharina Jacobsen, Bjornstad's wife, asked if Ketil could compose something new for her own choir, the Nordstrand Music Society Choir. Both had heard baritone singer Brynjar Onsoien perform Vaughan Williams '"Songs of Travel" during a Christmas concert with the choir, and his voice and delivery left a strong impression. Neither Catharina nor Ketil forgot Brynjar's powerful baritone, and when the Covid pandemic arrived in Norway for real, Catharina sat down and edited the Bible texts, focusing particularly on their existential aspect.

Music: Ketil Bjornstad

Conductor: Tore Brox

Vocal: Brynjar Onsoien

Violin/Hardanger fiddle: Nils Okland

Bassoon: Hanne Rekdal

Double bass: Ellen Brekken

Percussion: Helge Andreas Norbakken

The project choir Jag etter vind

Nordstrand Musikkselskaps kor

GAEA

Amalie Grani (solo)

Singers from Oslo Domkirkes Guttekor

Singers from Trefoldighet Jentekor